Antecedents of work engagement in a financial institution

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The industrialised world of today is characterised by transformation and concepts such as downsising, rightsising and restructuring have become a reality. South Africa is not excluded from this worldwide phenomenon. Economic and political changes as well as the shrinking labour market are also aggravating circumstances, which lead to increased job insecurity. This phenomenon might have a negative impact on employees' work engagement Due to all these changes, most organisations have to survive in a competitive global economy. Their survival depends on their ability to satisfy customer needs, while achieving quality, flexibility, innovation and organisational responsibility by the engagement and commitment of employees.
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between antecedents (work role fit, co-worker relations, supervisor relations, co-worker norms, self-consciousness, resources and growth), psychological conditions (i.e. psychological meaningfuhaess, psychological availability, and psychological safety) and work engagement in a financial institution.
A cross-sectional survey design was utilised. Employees (N= 132) in a financial institution, more specifically the branch-banking unit of FirstRand Group in the Free State Province, were included in the study. The Work Experience Scale and the Work Engagement Scale were administered together with a biographical questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.
The results showed that psychological meaningfuhaess and psychological availability were significant predictors of work engagement. Cognitive, emotional and physical resources had the strongest effect on work engagement. Multiple regression analyses showed that psychological meaningfuhaess partially mediated the relationship between work role fit, co-worker relations, growth and work engagement. A total of 5% of the variance in psychological meaningfulness and a total of 2% of the variance in psychological availability were predicted by work role fit. Psychological availability partially mediated the relationship between resources, self-consciousness and work engagement.
Recommendations for future research were made.